Need a mirror

[Dave]

I've never used a mirror of any sort. My current routes have so many passing cars that I think it's time to get one. Any comments on the spin tech that fits in the bar end? Any other favorites?

[AngryScientist]

Dave do you use a garmin?

the rear facing radar things are pretty amazing in the info that they give you. i dont have one yet, but have seen what they can do and it's pretty cool.

maybe something to think about.

[tuxbailey]

They are quite amazing, the Garmin Varia.

[Toddtwenty2]

All of my road/gravel bikes have a Berthoud MKII bar-end now.

They are a pricey option, but they work very well for keeping an eye behind you, add a lot of comfort to me when riding on the road, and they are really solid but still adjustable.

[Toddtwenty2]

As a side note, I also started using Airstreamz cat-ears. They let me hear most cars that are coming over the wind noise, which is also comforting.

[smead]

On busy roads you can't hear the individual car that is drifting over into your space .. The Take a Look mirror is cheap and works great.

[ColonelJLloyd]

A mirror is a good thing for sure. But nothing wrong with the belt and suspenders approach to situational awareness. The Varia is the best money I have ever spent as it relates to bicycles. Fantastic.

I do not use a mirror, FWIW.

[R3awak3n]

I think a varia is much better than a mirror and it will look, mmmmmh, less dorky (I am being nice here, yall caught me on a good day).

But get whatever makes you feel safe and even with the Varia, its good to be attentive and look back a bunch but its excellent. Hands down the best thing I ever have bought as far as bike stuff goes. When it runs out of battery during a ride (doesnt happen often, battery life is excellent), I feel pretty weird about it and feel pretty naked... just like when I get into a car and not having a seat belt on or going for a ride without a helmet.

The light is also pretty excellent and everyone should be running a blinker when they ride. The cat ears also look ridiculous and what if you have a quite car behind you? The varia can detect 2, 3 cars coming from behind and it will show red when the car is going super fast. I know a lot of us here don't like tech but this is some of the best tech to come to bikes in a long time, specially if you ride alone most of the time.

if you do ride with people, you will win the game of "CAR BACK", no one will have the chance against you.

[zmudshark]

I use these:

https://smile.amazon.com/Sprintech-Left-Drop-Mirror-Black/dp/B0017WP7XU/ref=sr_1_2?crid=TJCI6ITKUVMR&dchild=1&keywords=sprintech+bike+mirror&qid=1594069185&sprefix=sprintech%2Caps%2C169&sr=8-2

[C40_guy]

I've used a helmet mounted mirror for years and feel naked and defenseless without it. Seriously.

It gives great situational awareness of what's behind you...

When I'm road riding I play the game of "gimme a bit more space" with cars. Rather than ride as far over as possible, I'll give myself an extra two feet...riding on the right side of the lane. Then as I see a car coming up behind me (and hopefully moving over to make some room between us) I'll then ease over to the right as far as is safe. That way I've created a bit of an extra buffer zone for when the car actually passes.

I'm thinking about picking up a Varia...but the truth is, I haven't been on a road ride since early last year. I took some time off for health reasons last year, and this year I've been focusing on running and gravel riding.

Not sure the Varia is needed in the woods... :)

[R3awak3n]

I've used a helmet mounted mirror for years and feel naked and defenseless without it. Seriously.

It gives great situational awareness of what's behind you...

When I'm road riding I play the game of "gimme a bit more space" with cars. Rather than ride as far over as possible, I'll give myself an extra two feet...riding on the right side of the lane. Then as I see a car coming up behind me (and hopefully moving over to make some room between us) I'll then ease over to the right as far as is safe. That way I've created a bit of an extra buffer zone for when the car actually passes.

I'm thinking about picking up a Varia...but the truth is, I haven't been on a road ride since early last year. I took some time off for health reasons last year, and this year I've been focusing on running and gravel riding.

Not sure the Varia is needed in the woods... :)

yeah if you don't ride on the road, the varia is 100% not needed, but I guess neither is the mirror.

[wc1934]

Have used this one for years - don't know how I ever rode without it:

https://www.italianroadbikemirror.com/

[Ralph]

I didn't like the ones attached to my sun glasses. Since I ride more than one bike, didn't want to buy several for bar ends. And you may not like the location...looking down, etc. Some attach better than others. My favorite mirror is the one that attaches to my helmet with 2 sided tape. I've used several. My wife likes "Buds Mirrors". It has a larger mirror glass area than the ones I use.

RE using your ears. Had a Prius drive right up to my hip without me hearing it. Running on battery, and skinny tires are quiet. Almost turned left in front of it. Good thing I looked. Had no idea a car was there.

One of my riding buddies has the Garmin radar. Works great. He also wears a helmet mounted mirror. Believe with the radar you can keep looking ahead better.

https://budshelmetmirrors.com/

[C40_guy]

yeah if you don't ride on the road, the varia is 100% not needed, but I guess neither is the mirror.

Offroad I use the mirror to keep an eye on my riding buddy (who lately has been my son).

That assumes that I can stay in front of him...which sadly... :)

[Bob Ross]

My wife, having recently broken her neck and undergone emergency spinal fusion surgery, has been exploring these options rather extensively. As a result of the surgically-implanted hardware and subsequent fusion between C1-C4, she has extremely limited range of motion; it's basically really freakin' hard for her to look over her shoulder...or even 40-50° to either side.

She tried the Berthoud bar end mirrors (on both sides). They are definitely swanky, gorgeously made, wonderful optics...and just too damn small to be of any use.

She was much happier with the Sprintech Racing mirrors (again, one on both sides) although her complaint about those is that the whole Objects In Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear thing can be a real liability with their less-than-pristine optics.

She finally found a mirror she loves: It's a Hafny MR087. Big enough that she can see a lot, good enough optics that the image is clear, substantial enough hardware that vibrations from riding don't cause it to move around much. She's now riding with the Hafny on the left side and one of the Sprintechs on the right side.

Just last week I got her a Garmin Varia rear-facing radar for her birthday. She LOVES it! But she especially loves using it in conjunction with her mirrors; she says it allows her to not feel the need to check the mirrors as frequently as she used to, and to depend on them only when critical.

Might be too soon to tell, but for someone as movement-compromised as her I don't think the radar could ever replace the mirrors. But together they're a powerful 1-2 punch that allows her to safely ride when 8 months ago it was unclear that she would ever be able to.

[smead]

I think a varia is much better than a mirror and it will look, mmmmmh, less dorky (I am being nice here, yall caught me on a good day).

But get whatever makes you feel safe and even with the Varia, its good to be attentive and look back a bunch but its excellent. Hands down the best thing I ever have bought as far as bike stuff goes. When it runs out of battery during a ride (doesnt happen often, battery life is excellent), I feel pretty weird about it and feel pretty naked... just like when I get into a car and not having a seat belt on or going for a ride without a helmet.

The light is also pretty excellent and everyone should be running a blinker when they ride. The cat ears also look ridiculous and what if you have a quite car behind you? The varia can detect 2, 3 cars coming from behind and it will show red when the car is going super fast. I know a lot of us here don't like tech but this is some of the best tech to come to bikes in a long time, specially if you ride alone most of the time.

if you do ride with people, you will win the game of "CAR BACK", no one will have the chance against you.

There is nothing more fun than dropping a "serious looking" group on a big climb who you can tell has this attitude that you are a dork with your mirror. Fun watching their faces in your mirror ....

[Ozz]

I've never used a mirror of any sort. My current routes have so many passing cars that I think it's time to get one. Any comments on the spin tech that fits in the bar end? Any other favorites?
How about figuring out a way to strap/velcro a small mirror to the back of your glove?

Small, unobtrusive, not dorky....well, maybe still dorky.

<kidding>;)

[R3awak3n]

There is nothing more fun than dropping a "serious looking" group on a big climb who you can tell has this attitude that you are a dork with your mirror. Fun watching their faces in your mirror ....

and that is fine and I respect anyone wanting to use a mirror, its their choice but it will not adorn my bike or my helmet. And if you dropped me (and I am sure you would) I would just wave at you because I could give 10 craps if you are a stronger rider than me or not. Buy you probably could not see my face in that tiny tiny mirror. :)

and lets be honest, now that you are talking about dropping serious cyclists, do we think the top 10 fast guys in the world have mirrors on their helmets or bikes? Even top 100 ridders? But like I said, it doesnt matter, use whatever you want to use thats why I said use whatever it makes you feel safe.

[fijichf]

I use these:

https://smile.amazon.com/Sprintech-Left-Drop-Mirror-Black/dp/B0017WP7XU/ref=sr_1_2?crid=TJCI6ITKUVMR&dchild=1&keywords=sprintech+bike+mirror&qid=1594069185&sprefix=sprintech%2Caps%2C169&sr=8-2

+1 for the Sprintech mirror. I had a Berthoud and it was a piece of art, but it didn't play well with bars that have a small drop to the bar ends, like Nitto Noodles.

[Spinner]

I fully appreciate everyone's interest in staying safe on the road. That's why i never leave home without my Dinotte Quad blazing.

Nonetheless, I'm genuinely curious about how a mirror keeps you safer. I understand that if you see a motorized vehicle appearing to be coming close to you via a mirror, how can you realistically react to avoid contact in these situations, i.e., how much of the time do you have a reasonable option to pull to the right without endangering yourself?

Any and all responses are appreciated.

[donevwil]

...(I am being nice here, yall caught me on a good day)....

Appears that ship has sailed ol' friend ;).


I use a Take-a-Look mirror, works for me. Waking up in a hospital 20 miles away four hours later with no memory made a mirror an easy (and essential) decision.

[R3awak3n]

Appears that ship has sailed ol' friend ;).


I use a Take-a-Look mirror, works for me. Waking up in a hospital 20 miles away four hours later with no memory made a mirror an easy (and essential) decision.

I still <3 you.

And guys, being dorky is not a bad thing. I have some dorky bike moves too.

[Dave]

I fully appreciate everyone's interest in staying safe on the road. That's why i never leave home without my Dinotte Quad blazing.

Nonetheless, I'm genuinely curious about how a mirror keeps you safer. I understand that if you see a motorized vehicle appearing to be coming close to you via a mirror, how can you realistically react to avoid contact in these situations, i.e., how much of the time do you have a reasonable option to pull to the right without endangering yourself?

Any and all responses are appreciated.

On my 22 mile descent from Estes Park to Loveland, the slope is not steep enough to come even close to the speed that the cars are going. There are shoulders most of the way, but some areas are unusable due to rocks strewn onto the shoulder. If you come upon a bad shoulder, you could easily pull out in front of a car or truck going a lot faster.

The only other solution is to ride out on the road, going 20 mph slower than the cars and hope they don't run over you. Some drivers refuse to stay behind a bicycle, until they know it's safe to pass.

[Gsinill]

Probably the pinnacle of dorkiness but I could care less.
Would not ride without it on the road.
No need to turn my head, quick look to the left and I see what’s going on behind me.
And one is enough for all bikes.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200706/d0737500ba5587e631fe494724f81e0d.jpg

Modified a Take A Look eyeglass mirror (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C17M26/) and attached it with silicone fusion tape to the helmet.
Has been bomb proof for 6 years...

[mktng]

Having moved from my varia to the Berthoud mirror. I'll never have to worry about batteries.

I'd often forget to turn my Garmin off at work. Get back to the bike and either the head unit or light is dead.

Bar end mirror. Unless it gets stolen. It won't die.

[weisan]

I use the Zefal spin mirror.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81hJdtq-tHL._AC_SL1500_.jpg

https://www.amazon.com/Zefal-96018-Mirror-Spin/dp/B001IXKU26/ref=asc_df_B001IXKU26/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309768114180&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=450185539823362766&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9028226&hvtargid=pla-442657896438&psc=1

[Spinner]

On my 22 mile descent from Estes Park to Loveland, the slope is not steep enough to come even close to the speed that the cars are going. There are shoulders most of the way, but some areas are unusable due to rocks strewn onto the shoulder. If you come upon a bad shoulder, you could easily pull out in front of a car or truck going a lot faster.

The only other solution is to ride out on the road, going 20 mph slower than the cars and hope they don't run over you. Some drivers refuse to stay behind a bicycle, until they know it's safe to pass.

Yes, I understand the situation that you describe (I have a close friend in Loveland and I've driven that route numerous times, although I've yet to bike it). It seems then that the utility of the mirror in large part depends on the nature of the roads that you ride. In my area, i'm typically riding on roads close to the very edge or near to the curb with no place to safely go.

I never ride while listening to music and am typically quite aware of traffic approaching from the rear. I also frequently look over my shoulder if I'm trying to avoid potholes and debris. That being said, I'm certainly not always aware of how close vehicles may be tracking to me. Just last week I was passed by a dump truck pulling a trailer loaded with a backhoe, with the trailer being several feet wider than the truck; I nearly soiled my shorts as I viewed the trailer tires within two feet of me.

Be safe out there, whatever you do for enhanced protection.

[eddief]

flashing white and red lights? how about gaudy bike jerseys, butt hugging shorts, walking like a damn duck in road shoes, handlebar streamers, or playing cards stuck in your spokes. believe me all non-bikers think all bikers are as dorky as it gets. how did mirrors get to be at the top of the dork pyramid? you can't escape. dork up, stay safe however it works for you.

[R3awak3n]

flashing white and red lights? how about gaudy bike jerseys, butt hugging shorts, walking like a damn duck in road shoes, handlebar streamers, or playing cards stuck in your spokes. believe me all non-bikers think all bikers are as dorky as it gets. how did mirrors get to be at the top of the dork pyramid? you can't escape. dork up, stay safe however it works for you.

I can make a list of most dorky to least if you want :p

[wtex]

+1 for the sprintech mirror and varia. I’m surprised how many times I don’t hear a car that the varia picked up many seconds before

[thwart]

My wife, having recently broken her neck and undergone emergency spinal fusion surgery, has been exploring these options rather extensively. As a result of the surgically-implanted hardware and subsequent fusion between C1-C4, she has extremely limited range of motion; it's basically really freakin' hard for her to look over her shoulder...or even 40-50° to either side.


Sorry to hear it. I had a similar incident but lower in the cervical spine, where not as much motion is lost.

She's a courageous woman to continue riding.

Nice when technology (the Varia) really serves us...

[Toddtwenty2]

I think a varia is much better than a mirror and it will look, mmmmmh, less dorky (I am being nice here, yall caught me on a good day)

Well aren’t you Mr edgy cool guy out of the folks spending their tome on internet bicycle forums.

I find the cat ears and bar-end mirror very essential. My wife is open for caring for the kiddos while I ride bikes when she doesn’t need to worry about all of the indecently proposals I used to get from road tripping spring breakers. Plus, they go nicely with my durable hemp knickers.

The Varia does sound like a great tool for safety.

[zmudshark]

I was hit, hard, in my early 30's. I cannot look over my left shoulder, and barely over my right. I use a mirror. If I rode more than around the block these days, I's spring for the whole Garmin setup. I still have a 705:eek:

[mokofoko]

Dave do you use a garmin?

the rear facing radar things are pretty amazing in the info that they give you. i dont have one yet, but have seen what they can do and it's pretty cool.

maybe something to think about.
As nice as they are (I have the RTL500 and 510), they're really only supplements, and I primarily use them to alert me to look into my mirror if I haven't looked recently. I never really feel safe unless I've got a good mirror (or two) attached.

I keep one attached to my helmet visor, and on one of my bikes I use one of the older-design italian road mirrors made by Pinin.

[mokofoko]

I was hit, hard, in my early 30's. I cannot look over my left shoulder, and barely over my right. I use a mirror. If I rode more than around the block these days, I's spring for the whole Garmin setup. I still have a 705:eek:

Hah, I've still got one of those in a box that I've been meaning to sell off for the last 3-5 years. Comes with a garmin city navigator SD card (map data is totally and utterly outdated).

[zmudshark]

Hah, I've still got one of those in a box that I've been meaning to sell off for the last 3-5 years. Comes with a garmin city navigator SD card (map data is totally and utterly outdated).They work great.

[mokofoko]

They work great.

True, but the old nub pointer was so difficult to use, especially while riding! Ahh, the days before they used touchscreens!

[NHAero]

Take-A-Look user here, with a stiff neck and limited ability to turn my head and look behind me. Once Sheldon Brown said to me, a mirror is the most important piece of bike safety equipment, more so than a helmet, because while a helmet helps in the event of a crash, the mirror makes the crash less likely to happen.

[bikinchris]

I use a Bear Essentials rear view mirror. It uses a spoke wire to fix it to sunglasses. Sunglasses, unlike bar end mirrors don't buzz. A bar end mirror can become unusable on rough roads.
Some of the fastest criterium racers ever use that kind of mirror.
You of course also want a tail lamp bright enough to be seen far away in daylight. You don't know how often they look up at the road while they are driving, so you need to be seen.
Using a radar to make sure you know when a car is overtaking you is also a good idea.

[schwa86]

All dork all the time here, with a slightly steampunk twist. I got one of these for commuting and have come to like it so much, I have one for weekend riding too. Advantages, very stable on helmet, infinitely adjustable, wide view area, easily removed if desired. But definitely dorky. https://www.efficientvelo.com/tools/safe-zone-helmet-mirror

[warren128]

I use a Zefal Spy that I transfer to whichever bike that I'm riding.

I've had a Take A Look for a few years, but I've never quite gotten used to using it. I prefer the bar end mounted mirror.

[jamesau]

I've used the Take-a-Look short version for many years. The optical quality is excellent, as is the field-of-view that you achieve with just a slight rotation of the the head.

An excellent stealth solution is the Cycleaware Viewpoint. This requires dedicated glasses, as the mirror is glued to the inside of your glasses lens. Additionally, the view provided is not corrected by your Rx, which is why I chose the Take-a-Look. (Both mirrors are very inexpensive).

Compared to the bicycle-mounted mirror, I believe the glasses mounted mirror offers better optics, a larger field-of-view (with a slight turn of the head), and faster focal transition from mirror-view to view-ahead.

Hope that helps, Dave.

[R3awak3n]

Well aren’t you Mr edgy cool guy out of the folks spending their tome on internet bicycle forums.

I find the cat ears and bar-end mirror very essential. My wife is open for caring for the kiddos while I ride bikes when she doesn’t need to worry about all of the indecently proposals I used to get from road tripping spring breakers. Plus, they go nicely with my durable hemp knickers.

The Varia does sound like a great tool for safety.

You are right. I am joining the dorks

http://bikocity.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/22678948605_813c44416a_k-800x582.jpg


:p :hello:

[oldfatslow]

I think bike mirrors increase safety and I use one.

I did, however, just find this one and laughed out loud.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GRXTK5F/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_o.gbFbP9W8RTY

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200707/f65bff1f0437ee9a21982529130823ec.jpg

Sent from my P027 using Tapatalk

[Toddtwenty2]

It's missing a compass. How can you tell where you are going?!

You are right. I am joining the dorks

http://bikocity.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/22678948605_813c44416a_k-800x582.jpg


:p :hello:

[tv_vt]

Have used this one for years - don't know how I ever rode without it:

https://www.italianroadbikemirror.com/

These are also available through Amazon. Highly recommended. I wouldn't ride without one. Period.

[MikeD]

Take a look is the best eyeglass mirror. I tried a helmet and bar end mirror but they vibrate and thus blur the image. I think the Take a look can be helmet mounted as well.

[Dave]

Thanks for all the responses. I'm going to try a bar end mirror first and other things later, if it proves inadequate. My last big descent proved that I can't hear vehicles well enough.

[NHAero]

Would you please post a link, I can't find this one

I use a Bear Essentials rear view mirror. It uses a spoke wire to fix it to sunglasses. Sunglasses, unlike bar end mirrors don't buzz. A bar end mirror can become unusable on rough roads.
Some of the fastest criterium racers ever use that kind of mirror.
You of course also want a tail lamp bright enough to be seen far away in daylight. You don't know how often they look up at the road while they are driving, so you need to be seen.
Using a radar to make sure you know when a car is overtaking you is also a good idea.

[vincenz]

No one has mentioned the Corky bike mirror yet? I think it’s the least dorky option as far as mirrors go.

https://thebeam-europe.com/products/corky

https://youtu.be/xOZQeZXzG5k

[zmudshark]

Thanks for all the responses. I'm going to try a bar end mirror first and other things later, if it proves inadequate. My last big descent proved that I can't hear vehicles well enough.

Dave, I like my Sprintech mirrors, but a friend has the Italian Road Bike Mirror, and the optics are better, but the position is fixed. It is also more expensive.

[tcbc]

I have been using the Take-a-look mirror clipped to my helmet for many years. That way I have it no matter which bike I'm riding. I really like the wide and clear field of view from this mirror.

The only downside is that the dorky factor is high, but I look dorky even without wearing it anyway :-)

[sg8357]

When Noah cycled off the Ark, he was wearing a Chuck Harris mirror.
He also made a helmet attached version.
I've been using one for 20 years, helmet mounted.
https://www.ohiohistory.org/learn/collections/history/history-blog/june-2020/chuck-harris-the-mirror-man-of-gambier

[bikinchris]

Would you please post a link, I can't find this one

I used to buy them wholesale from North Division Bicycle shop in Spokane Washington. I tried searching and they don't list them. I like them most because of how they grip the arm on the glasses.

[OtayBW]

My current fave: https://www.etsy.com/listing/225402007/beer-view-mirror-most-popular-bottle?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=bike+mirror&ref=sr_gallery-1-4&col=1
He'll make one with your favorite bottle cap. This one is the best, most well-made eyeglass mirror of its type that I've found to date.

[eddief]

tone it down. do you ride a recumbent and wear jerseys with the pockets on the front :).

My current fave: https://www.etsy.com/listing/225402007/beer-view-mirror-most-popular-bottle?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=bike+mirror&ref=sr_gallery-1-4&col=1
He'll make one with your favorite bottle cap. This one is the best, most well-made eyeglass mirror of its type that I've found to date.

[steamer]

Anyone who is worried about looking dorky because of a mirror must have a form of psychological blindness.

[mokofoko]

These are also available through Amazon. Highly recommended. I wouldn't ride without one. Period.

Had two of them--they are great. But over time the frame does kind of fall apart (one has serious cracking of the rubber).

Had to look it up, but add another vote for the "take-a-look" mirror. I picked mine up at REI, and I never ride without it. Too bad it's incompatible with some helmet visors...

[OtayBW]

tone it down. do you ride a recumbent and wear jerseys with the pockets on the front :).
HUH? :no:

[eddief]

no worries.

HUH? :no:

[biker72]

Anyone who is worried about looking dorky because of a mirror must have a form of psychological blindness.

+1
Another vote for Take A Look. Been using them for years.

[Onno]

I've tried helmet mounted mirrors, and just couldn't get used to them. Now I have Sprintech mirrors on all my bikes. Once you ride with one, you feel naked without them. Varia makes a ton of sense too, although I haven't splurged for that yet, having bought a Cycliq rear light/camera a while before. What we really need is a combo radar, light, camera that doesn't break the bank!

[Elefantino]

I've tried all forms of mirrors and guess I am that one rider who can't use them...because of the SQUIRREL! factor. Too easily distracted. The Varia solved my problem.


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[Dave]

The more I think about it, the better the Varia option sounds. If I've read the literature correctly, the 130 plus is compatible and has speed, cadence and heart rate.

Some pictures show only the HRM and not the other two sensors. It wouldn't be much of a bike computer without those. Total cost, about $450.

[thirdgenbird]

I really like my Garmin 130 and varia paring.

Last I looked, you could get the 130 (non plus) and varia 510 for a steep discount if you don’t need the additions the 130 plus and 515 bring.

Edit:
https://www.biketiresdirect.com/product/garmin-edge-130?sesgl=1&ssn=2781147

https://www.biketiresdirect.com/product/garmin-varia-radar-2-rtl510-rear-light

[cgolvin]

I offered this to the OP in a PM, and he has first dibs, but since he hasn't responded I thought I'd offer it up here: I have a CycleAware bar-end mirror, looks like this (https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5021-802/Roadie-Road-Bike-Mirror), in good condition and surplus to me. Yours if you want it, just cover the shipping.